TAPS is a survivor-run group that helps victims of sex trafficking to break free. You can reach us at https://www.facebook.com/TraffickingandProstitutionServicesOnline/ We also help family members and other loves ones to "retrieve" someone they feel is either trapped into sex work. If you are a parent - you can get help at www.swanfellowship.webs.com. This is the author's personal opinion and since written in the USA is protected under rights of free speech. (702) 488-1127.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

I saw a petition today signed by a lot of non-survivors of trafficking again trying to speak for us without including us. I then noticed the petition was created by CATW. So I went to their site to see the false claim they were the "first to fight international sex trafficking".

What a bunch of hooey! Below is a letter I wrote to them about this. Their site claims they were founded in 1988 by the way - yet I started our work in 1987. I didn't see or hear them around that's for sure. Considering I was appearing on 20/20, Nightline, Geraldo, Donahue, etc. - you'd think they would have heard of me and come to say something to me during this time. Yet none of the victims we were talking to knew anything about them either . https://www.change.org/organizations/coalition_against_trafficking_in_women_international_catw

Hello:

Please allow me to introduce myself because you clearly don't seem to have the slightest awareness of who I am, or what I've done for this movement. I am the founder of the modern day sex trafficking movement for one thing. Which is why your website's claim that you are the "first" organization to "fight trafficking internationally" is false.

I say that because when I looked around for YEARS for help for myself, and for other victims of trafficking I was witnessing being sold - I didn't see you around anywhere. I scoured the earth for six years before realizing that I'd have to step into those shoes. Meaning in 1987 - I founded the first hotline for adults to call for help as well as the first program where one could call for help to arrange a "rescue" and where they could find recovery from what they'd experienced in a world that didn't even acknowledge we existed in 1987.

I've attached my CV for your review - and you can substantiate my claims with news clippings I have up at High Tech Madam: NEWS CLIPPINGS ABOUT US It was myself, and our members who were the first ones to go on TV speaking about sex trafficking, including myself speaking about our own government's involvement with Iran Contra. I suffered great sacrifices to start this movement and don't take kindly to other people making claims about my work as theirs.

As for "abolition" - I was the only person I saw stepping up to Joe Conforte when he put $1,000,000 into a PR firm, and another $1,000,000 into a bogus medical study to make the false claim that none of the brothel prostitutes had HIV in 1988 when he launched his campaign to bring the legal brothels into California.

I was the one who contacted the researcher to validate the parameters of the study and basically expose the test was "rigged". I was the one who went on countless TV shows, stages, podiums, and in front of reporters to shoot holes in the claim he was making all over the world that "no brothel prostitutes have HIV" at great risk to myself considering the death threats I received for what I was doing. I was the only one who stood up to him and therefore I am the reason why there's no legal brothels in California today.

As well as in Las Vegas. Starting in 1991 - I fought the brothel owners back with everything I had from fulfilling what ex-mayor Oscar Goodman was pitching to investors that Las Vegas would have "magnificent brothels". I was the one who contacted business owners to gather information on how much money the brothels were costing Nevada in convention and trade show money to make the economic report which the state relied upon to instead build the Mob Museum where a brothel was slated to be built.

It was myself, and our members who comprised the panel who gave the press conference in Vegas in 2007 about "Trafficking in Nevada" validating sex trafficking existed in legal sex work. I'm the one whose car was trashed, whose phone lines were cut, whose life was threatened, whose daughter was run over by a SUV which broke her back, got evicted, and had a bomb put in our outreach RV for giving that conference - which resulted in beating back the brothel industry in Nevada so severely that the only two brothel owners left today are Dennis Hof and Lance Gilman.

It was our member of SWA who stood up at the Nevada legislature on February 20, 2013, during an unscheduled meeting where the brothels were still trying to get permission to expand into Las Vegas - where her testimony about the reality of what goes on in legal brothels that blocked that expansion and caused the lobbyist, George Flint, to announce his retirement after 20 years in frustration.

So needless to say I'm highly offended when your site makes such a false claim as being the "first" program to fight sex trafficking internationally when I've been organizing rescue operations here in the states, as well as Canada, and five other countries since the 1980's. The fact that you don't include US - real survivors - is very apparent in your letters who granted have long lists of signatures - but not from real survivors with real voices because of your continued insistence on acting like we simply don't exist.

Frankly I'm tired of the false claims and that's why I've been researching what I can do about it. I've found I do have recourse. So I suggest you modify this claim off your site immediately - or you'll come to find out about the remedies I've discovered that I do have to do something about these continued false claims that you're benefiting from.

Somewhat. Because you know what? A lot of people know the truth and call me constantly about what a bum rap they think we're getting from the way your organization has been not only making these false claims - but also completely ignoring the very real contributions I've made to this field - INCLUDING CREATING IT.

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About Me

I've been helping men and women leave the sex industry since 1987. Some were forced - some were not. Some thought they weren't and with time realized they were. Some thought they were and with time realized they weren't. Which is why I just focus on this - if you want help to leave any part of the sex industry for any reason - just get in touch. I run Sex Workers Anonymous, Trafficking & Prostitution Services, as well as the American Trafficking Institute. I produce www.blogtalkradio.com/stopsextrafficktalk, and the magazine "Sanity Today". I also help investigators and the authorities with sex trafficking cases, and families help their loved ones leave the streets. Currently I'm organizing www.boycottsnoop.com to demand an acknowledgment of the damage that was done to women during his 2003 tour and www.pimpalert.com to help caught pimps who are dangerous and on the streets. Our book on the history of this field "Anatomy of a Movement" is almost done.